U.S. patent application number 12/708727 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-09 for method and apparatus for lapping food dough.
This patent application is currently assigned to RHEON AUTOMATIC MACHINERY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Tomokuni AKUTSU, Norio KOBAYASHI, Takeshi ODERAOTOSHI, Hiroyuki OKAIZUMI.
Application Number | 20100227037 12/708727 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42236446 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100227037 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ODERAOTOSHI; Takeshi ; et
al. |
September 9, 2010 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAPPING FOOD DOUGH
Abstract
An object is to provide a method and an apparatus for lapping
strip-shaped food dough onto a transporting unit without repeatedly
applying tension or relaxation. A method of lapping food dough in
which strip-shaped food dough being continuously conveyed is lapped
onto the transporting unit configured to transport the food dough
in a direction intersecting a conveyance direction of the food
dough. The method includes the steps of conveying the conveyed food
dough 9 to a swing guide member 137 through a swing conveyor 135
swingable in a vertical direction, the swing guide member provided
at a tip end of the swing conveyor 135 so as to be swingable in a
direction being horizontal and intersecting a transportation
direction of the transporting unit 15, and always maintaining an
almost constant clearance between a tip end of the swing guide
member 137 and a transport surface of the transporting member 15
and thereby maintaining an almost constant length of the food dough
9 from a base end of the swing conveyor 135 to the transport
surface of the transporting unit 15.
Inventors: |
ODERAOTOSHI; Takeshi;
(Kanuma-shi, JP) ; AKUTSU; Tomokuni;
(Nasukarasuyama-shi, JP) ; OKAIZUMI; Hiroyuki;
(Tochigi-shi, JP) ; KOBAYASHI; Norio;
(Shimotsuke-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C.
1950 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
US
|
Assignee: |
RHEON AUTOMATIC MACHINERY CO.,
LTD.
Tochigi
JP
|
Family ID: |
42236446 |
Appl. No.: |
12/708727 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/502 ;
99/450.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A21C 3/02 20130101; A21C
3/022 20130101; A21C 3/027 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/502 ;
99/450.1 |
International
Class: |
A21D 6/00 20060101
A21D006/00; A23P 1/00 20060101 A23P001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 6, 2009 |
JP |
2009-053106 |
Claims
1. A method of lapping food dough in which strip-shaped food dough
continuously conveyed is lapped onto a transporting unit configured
to transport the food dough in a direction intersecting a
conveyance direction of the food dough, the method comprising the
steps of: conveying the conveyed food dough to a swing guide member
through a swing conveyor swingable in a vertical direction, the
swing guide member provided at a tip end of the swing conveyor so
as to be swingable in a direction being horizontal and intersecting
a transportation direction of the transporting unit; and always
maintaining an almost constant clearance between a tip end of the
swing guide member and a transport surface of the transporting unit
and thereby maintaining an almost constant length of the food dough
from a base end of the swing conveyor to the transport surface of
the transporting unit.
2. An apparatus for lapping food dough in which strip-shaped food
dough continuously conveyed is lapped onto a transporting unit
configured to transport the food dough in a transportation
direction intersecting a conveyance direction of the food dough,
the apparatus comprising: a vertically swingable swing conveyor
configured to convey the conveyed food dough in a direction
identical to the conveyance direction; a swing guide member
swingably provided on a tip end of the swing conveyor, the swing
guide member being swingable in a direction being horizontal and
intersecting the transportation direction of the transporting unit;
and a guide member positioned above the transporting unit and
configured to guide a tip end of the swing guide member in a
horizontal direction.
3. The apparatus for lapping food dough according to claim 2,
further comprising a tip end reciprocating unit configured to
reciprocate the tip end of the swing guide member along the guide
member.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus
for lapping food dough in which food dough extended into a long and
thin shape such as a strip shape (a sheet shape) by a extending
apparatus and continuously conveyed by conveyance means like a belt
conveyor is continuously lapped onto a transporting unit configured
to transport the food dough in a direction intersecting a
conveyance direction of the conveyance unit. More specifically, the
present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for lapping
food dough while always conveying the food dough at a constant
speed so as not to make the food dough stretched or loose.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Food dough extended into a strip shape by a extending
apparatus is processed in the following manner in order that the
extending direction of the strip-shaped food dough extended by the
extending apparatus can be arranged in various directions in the
resultant food dough. Specifically, when being lapped onto a
transport surface of a transporting unit, the extended food dough
is lapped to have its portions overlapped in triangle shapes by
being reciprocated in a width direction of the transport surface.
Thereafter, the lapped food dough is again stretched out. Here,
Patent Literatures 1 and 2 disclose the related art for lapping the
strip-shaped food dough onto a transport surface of a transporting
unit in a manner that portions of strip-shaped food dough overlap
in triangular shapes.
[Citation List]
[Patent Literature]
[Patent Literature 1]
[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 54-70488
[Patent Literature 2]
[0004] Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Sho
54-11988
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problems
[0005] The configuration disclosed in the above-described Patent
Literature 1 includes an upper slider and a lower slider positioned
above a transporting unit and being horizontally movable in a
direction perpendicular to a transportation direction of the
transporting unit. Here, the upper slider includes a pair of bars
for holding food dough in a horizontal direction while the lower
slider includes a pair of bars for holding the food dough in a
vertical direction. While the upper and lower sliders are moved in
mutually opposite directions, the strip-shaped food dough guided by
the pairs of bars provided respectively on the upper and lower
sliders is lapped onto a transport surface of the transporting
unit.
[0006] According to the above-described configuration, it is
possible to lap the strip-shaped food dough continuously onto the
transport surface of the transporting unit in a manner that
portions of the food dough overlap in triangular shapes. However,
in the above-described configuration, the upper and lower sliders
are designed to reciprocate mutually in the opposite directions.
Accordingly, a distance between the upper and lower sliders becomes
minimum when the upper and lower sliders are located on a vertical
line. The distance between the sliders gradually increases as the
sliders move in mutually separating directions. On the other hand,
the distance gradually decreases when the sliders move in mutually
approaching directions.
[0007] In other words, the configuration disclosed in Patent
Literature 1 is undesirable because the food dough is repeatedly
made stretched and loose.
[0008] In the configuration disclosed in Patent Literature 2, food
dough extend into a strip shape is rolled on a roll, and is guided
by a swing arm swingable in a direction (a width direction)
perpendicular to a transportation direction of a transporting unit
while being transported downward from a high position after being
unrolled from the roll. In this configuration, a lower end of the
swing arm is configured to swing in an arc shape. Accordingly, a
clearance (referred to as a vertical interval) between the lower
end of the swing arm and a transport surface of the transporting
unit becomes minimum when the swing arm is located vertically and
the vertical interval gradually increases as the swing arm moves in
the width direction of the transporting unit.
[0009] In other words, the configuration disclosed in Patent
Literature 2 is also undesirable because such a change in the
vertical interval repeatedly makes the food dough stretched and
loose, and also because the food dough lapped onto (folded and thus
loaded on) the transport surface has an uneven width dimension.
Solution to Problems
[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the
aforementioned conventional problems. It therefore is an object of
the present invention to provides a method and an apparatus for
lapping food dough while always conveying the food dough at a
constant speed so as not to make the food dough stretched or
loose.
[0011] To achieve the object, according to a first aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a method of lapping food dough
in which strip-shaped food dough continuously conveyed is lapped
onto a transporting unit configured to transport the food dough in
a direction intersecting a conveyance direction of the food dough,
the method including the steps of: conveying the conveyed food
dough to a swing guide member through a swing conveyor swingable in
a vertical direction, the swing guide member provided at a tip end
of the swing conveyor so as to be swingable in a direction being
horizontal and intersecting a transportation direction of the
transporting unit; and always maintaining an almost constant
clearance between a tip end of the swing guide member and a
transport surface of the transporting member and thereby
maintaining an almost constant length of the food dough from a base
end of the swing conveyor to the transport surface of the
transporting unit.
[0012] To achieve the object, according to a second aspect of the
present invention, there is provided an apparatus for lapping food
dough in which strip-shaped food dough continuously conveyed is
lapped onto a transporting unit configured to transport the food
dough in a transportation direction intersecting a conveyance
direction of the food dough, the apparatus including: a vertically
swingable swing conveyor configured to convey the conveyed food
dough in a direction identical to the conveyance direction; a swing
guide member swingably provided on a tip end of the swing conveyor,
the swing guide member being swingable in a direction being
horizontal and intersecting the transportation direction of the
transporting unit; and a guide member positioned above the
transporting unit and configured to guide a tip end of the swing
guide member in a horizontal direction.
[0013] According to a third aspect of the present invention as it
depending from the second aspect, there is provided the apparatus
for lapping food dough, further including tip end reciprocating
means configured to reciprocate the tip end of the swing guide
member along the guide member.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION
[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to lap
food dough onto a transport surface of a transporting unit
continuously without stretching and loosening the food dough
continuously conveyed, and thereby to solve the above-described
problem of the related art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is an explanatory left side view showing an overall
configuration of a food dough extending apparatus.
[0016] FIG. 2 is an explanatory plan view showing the overall
configuration of the food dough extending apparatus.
[0017] FIG. 3 is an explanatory right side view of a main part
showing a configuration for adjusting a position of a extending
roller unit vertically.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the main part showing
the configuration for adjusting the position of the extending
roller unit vertically.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing a configuration
of the extending roller unit.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view showing the
configuration of the extending roller unit.
[0021] FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of
link plates.
[0022] FIG. 8 is an explanatory left side view showing main part of
a lapping apparatus.
[0023] FIG. 9 is an explanatory plan view showing the main part of
the lapping apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Hereinafter, a food dough lapping apparatus according to an
embodiment of the present invention will be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings. The food dough lapping
apparatus is provided downstream of a food dough extending
apparatus for extending thick food dough into thin food dough.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, a food dough extending apparatus 1
includes a rectangular base plate 5 supported horizontally by
multiple legs 3, and a conveyor supporting member 6 is provided at
a central part in a left-right direction (which is a vertical
direction with respect to a sheet surface in FIG. 1: an X-axis
direction) of this base plate 5. Moreover, an upper end of an
inclined transporting unit 7 extending in a front-rear direction (a
Y-axis direction) and being inclined so as to locate a front side
higher than a rear side (on the left side in FIG. 1), is connected
to this conveyor supporting member 6. This inclined transporting
unit 7 is formed of a general belt conveyor, for example, and has a
function to transport (convey) thick food dough 9 to be extended to
an upward direction.
[0026] A horizontal direction transporting unit 11 for transporting
the food dough 9 transported by the inclined transporting unit 7
horizontally in a forward direction (in a rightward direction in
FIG. 1), is provided at a position on the base plate 5
corresponding to the upper end (a transport terminal end) of the
inclined transporting unit 7. This horizontal direction
transporting unit 11 is formed of a general belt conveyor, for
example, and has a function to transport (convey) the strip-shaped
(sheet-shaped) food dough 9 after being extended into the thin form
by a extending roller unit 13 to the forward direction.
[0027] When viewed in a conveyance direction of the food dough 9, a
lapping apparatus 17 for lapping the food dough 9 after being
extended into the thin form by the extending roller unit 13 is
provided on a transport surface of a transporting unit 15 for
transporting the food dough 9 in a direction (the left-right
direction: the X-axis direction) intersecting the conveyance
direction (the front-rear direction: the Y-axis direction) of the
food dough 9 on a downstream side (the front side: the right side
in FIG. 1) of the horizontal direction transporting unit 11.
[0028] The extending roller unit 13 is configured to extend the
thick food dough 9 transported to the horizontal direction
transporting unit 11 by the inclined transporting unit 7 into the
thin form. This extending roller unit 13 is provided on a slide
stand 19 so as to be vertically adjustable, the slide stand 19
provided movably in the front-rear direction on the base plate
5.
[0029] To be more precise, long guide rails 21 are respectively
disposed in the front-rear direction in the vicinities of both left
and right ends on an upper surface of the base plate 5, and left
and right vertical frames 23 of the slide stand 19 are movably
supported on the left and right guide rails 21 through slide guides
25. The left and right vertical frames 23 are connected integrally
with each other by use of a connecting member 27 (see FIG. 4)
formed into a long shape in the left-right direction and connected
integrally with each other by use of a connecting bracket 29
disposed to stride over the inclined transporting unit 7. Moreover,
this connecting bracket 29 is provided with a flouring device 31
for sprinkling (spraying) flour or the like on the food dough 9
transported by the inclined transporting unit 7.
[0030] Usually, the slide stand 19 is positioned to abut on a
support plate 33 integrally installed upright at a front end of the
base plate 5. As described previously, when the slide stand 19 is
positioned to abut on the support plate 33, the slide stand 19 is
fixably and releasably fixed by appropriate locking means (not
shown) such as a so-called catch lock.
[0031] Therefore, when cleaning around an upper portion of the
inclined transporting unit 7, the horizontal direction transporting
unit 11 or the like, it is possible to move the slide stand 19
backward along the guide rails 21 while releasing fixation by the
locking means. When the slide stand 19 is moved backward as
described above, the extending roller unit 13 supported by the
slide stand 19 is also integrally moved backward, thereby
uncovering the vicinity of the upper portion of the inclined
transporting unit 7, an upper side of the horizontal direction
transporting unit 11, and the like. Accordingly, it is possible to
clean the vicinity of the upper portion of the inclined
transporting unit 7, the horizontal direction transporting unit 11,
and the like easily.
[0032] In order to move the extending roller unit 13 vertically
relative to the slide stand 19, outer side surfaces in the
left-right direction of the vertical frames 23 are provided with
guide members 35 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) inclined so that one end
thereof is higher than the other end, the one end facing the
inclined transporting unit 7 in a direction intersecting the
direction of inclination of the inclined transporting unit 7.
Meanwhile, left and right elevating plates 37 are supported
vertically movably by these guide members 35 via slide guides 39.
Moreover, support brackets 41 for supporting the extending roller
unit 13 are integrally provided on the left and right elevating
plates 37.
[0033] In order to vertically move the elevating plates 37 along
the guide members 35, both ends of a rotating shaft 43 (see FIG. 4)
which is long in the left-right direction is rotatably supported by
the left and right vertical frames 23, and eccentric discs 45 are
integrally attached to both ends of this rotating shaft 43.
Moreover, link plates 47 to be displaced in a direction along the
guide members 35 by rotation of the eccentric discs 45 are
relatively rotatably engaged with the eccentric discs 45, and pin
members 49 provided on the link plates 47 are engaged with bearings
which are rotatably provided on the elevating plates 37. Here, a
long hole or a slit (not shown) in a parallel direction to the
guide member 35 is formed on each of the elevating plates 37 in
order to avoid interference with the rotating shaft 43 that moves
relatively.
[0034] According to the above described configuration, when
rotating the rotating shaft 43 to rotate the eccentric discs 45,
the link plates 47 are displaced in the direction along the guide
members 35. Hence, the left and right elevating plates 37 are moved
in obliquely vertical direction along the guide members 35.
[0035] To rotate the rotating shaft 43, a worm wheel 51 is
integrally attached to one end of the rotating shaft 43 as
appropriate. This worm wheel 51 is engaged with a worm 53 rotatably
attached to the vertical frame 23. Moreover, a bevel gear 57
provided on an end of a worm shaft 55 having the worm 53 is engaged
with another bevel gear (not shown) provided on a rotating shaft of
a handle 59 which is rotatably supported by the vertical frame
23.
[0036] Therefore, the worm shaft 55 is rotated when the handle 59
is rotated appropriately, and then the worm wheel 51 is rotated via
the worm 53 provided on this worm shaft 55. Hence the positions of
the elevating plates 37 can be adjusted vertically by rotating the
handle 59. Here, due to the engagement between the worm wheel 51
and the worm 53, the worm 53 will note be rotated by the worm wheel
51. Hence it is possible to fix and maintain the elevating plates
at vertically adjusted positions without requiring any lock
mechanisms and the like.
[0037] In order to detect an elevating position of the elevating
plates 37 from a reference position (such as a bottom position of
the elevating plates 37) when adjusting the elevating plates 37
vertically as described above, an elevating position detecting
device 54 such as a dial gauge including a vertically movable
sensing pin which abuts on part of the elevating plate 37 is
provided on one of the vertical frames 23. Hence it is possible to
detect a extending thickness when extending the food dough 9.
[0038] The extending roller unit 13 supported by the left and right
support brackets 41 has the configuration as described below.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, left and right bearing bases 61
which are long in the front-rear direction (the Y-axis direction)
are integrally attached onto the left and right support brackets
41, and both left and right ends of a drive shaft 65 rotated by a
drive motor 63 attached to the support bracket 41 on the left side
are rotatably supported on front ends of the left and right bearing
bases 61. Moreover, both left and right ends of a support shaft 67
are supported on rear ends of the left and right bearing bases 61
so as to be capable of adjusting positions in directions to
approach and to recede from the drive shaft 65. Further, both end
portions of an appropriate number of reinforcing bars 69 which are
long in the left-right direction are integrally connected to an
intermediate portion of the left and right bearing bases 61 in the
front-rear direction thereof.
[0039] Drive pulleys 71 are integrally attached to both left and
right ends of the drive shaft 65. Meanwhile, driven pulleys 73 are
rotatably supported on both left and right ends of the support
shaft 67. Moreover, the left and right endless members 75 such as
timing belts or chains are wound around the drive pulleys 71 and
the driven pulleys 73. Multiple shaft connecting members 77 are
attached at even intervals on peripheral surfaces of these left and
right endless members 75, and both ends of roller support shafts 81
for rotatably supporting extending rollers 79 formed into a pipe
shape that are long in the left-right direction, are detachably
connected to the left and right shaft connecting members 77.
[0040] Furthermore, left and right dust sealing mechanisms 83 for
inhibiting (preventing) circulation of air between inside of a
traveling region of the extending rollers 79 and inside of a
traveling region of endless members 75 are provided between both
end portions of the respective extending rollers 79 and the left
and right pair of endless members 75. To be more precise, as shown
in FIG. 7A, sleeves 85 located close to both end portions of the
extending rollers 79 are provided on both left and right ends of
the respective roller support shafts 81. Moreover, an opening 87A
formed on one end of the link plate 87 having the other end
rotatably supported by one of the sleeves 85 is rotatably engaged
with an adjacent sleeve 85. Therefore, the multiple link plates 87
supported by the respective sleeves 85 are formed into an annularly
connected shape on the whole as shown in FIG. 7B.
[0041] As described above, outer guide members 89 (see FIG. 5) and
inner guide members 91 for guiding an outer circumference and an
inner circumference of the multiple link plates 87 connected into
the annular shape while holding the outer circumference and the
inner circumference from both left and right sides are provided. To
be more precise, upper covers 93 formed into a square U-shape by
uncovering lower ends of inner end edges 93A in the left-right
direction are attached to the left and right bearing bases 61 so as
to hold upper sides of the outer circumference of the multiple link
plates 87 connected into the annular shape as shown in FIG. 5.
Meanwhile, left and right brackets 95 protruding inward are
provided inside the left and right support brackets 41, and lower
covers 97 formed into a square U-shape by uncovering upper ends of
inner end edges 97A in the left-right direction are attached to
upper faces of the left and right brackets 95 so as to hold lower
sides of the outer circumference of the multiple link plates 87
connected into the annular shape. Further, front and rear covers
(not shown) having inner end edges formed into a square U-shape so
as to hold the outer circumference of arc portions on front and
rear sides of the link plates 87 connected into the annular shape
are provided so as to be connected to the upper and lower covers 93
and 97.
[0042] According to the above-described configuration, the drive
pulleys 71, the driven pulleys 73, the endless members 75, and the
like on the left and right sides are located inside spaces enclosed
by the upper and lower covers 93 and 97 as well as the front and
rear covers.
[0043] The internal guide members 91 for guiding the inner
circumference of the multiple annularly-connected link plates 87
while holding the inner circumference from both left and right
sides are configured as described below. Specifically, each cover
plate 98 (see FIG. 6) is long in the front-rear direction and is
supported by either of ends of the reinforcing bars 69. Both upper
and lower end edges of the cover plate 98 are provided with square
U-shaped openings (details not shown) for guiding the inner
circumference of the multiple annularly-connected link plates 87
while holding the inner circumference from the left-right
direction. Moreover, end cover plates 99 each having a square
U-shaped opening 99A in its arc-shaped outer peripheral edge are
integrally connected and fixed to both front and rear ends of each
of the cover plates 98 (the connection state not shown in details).
The square U-shaped opening 99A is configured to hold the inner
circumference in arc shapes of the multiple annularly-connected
link plates 87 from either of the left and right sides and guiding
the inner circumference.
[0044] As understood already, the drive pulleys 71, the driven
pulleys 73, the endless members 75, and the like are surrounded by
the upper and lower covers 93 and 97 as well as the front and rear
covers, and are enclosed by the cover plates 98, the end cover
plates 99, and the multiple link plates 87 connected into the
annular shape. That is, the traveling regions of the endless
members 75 are enclosed by the multiple covers and cover plates and
are maintained in the state of preventing (inhibiting) easy
circulation of the air to and from the traveling regions of the
extending rollers 79 that are caused to revolve by means of
movement of the endless members 75.
[0045] Accordingly, flour dust does not fall on the endless members
75 and the like when performing a extending operation on the food
dough 9 by use of the extending rollers 79. Moreover, the dust
coming off the endless members 75 does not fall on the extending
rollers 79 and the like.
[0046] Here, the left and right upper covers 93 and the like are
covered with left and right main body covers 101 attached to the
support brackets 41 while both front and rear sides of the
traveling regions of the extending roller 79 are covered with front
and rear covers 103 (see FIG. 6) provided between both front and
rear portions of the main body covers 101. Moreover, upper portions
of the traveling regions of the extending rollers 79 are covered
with openable covers 105 (see FIG. 5) openably provided in the
front-rear direction relative to the front and rear covers 103 by
use of hinge pins. That is, the front-rear direction and the upward
direction of the traveling regions of the extending roller 79 are
normally enclosed by the front and rear covers 103 and the openable
covers 105.
[0047] Here, the brackets 95 are provided with contact bars 107
(see FIG. 5) which are long in the front-rear direction and which
are for rolling the extending rollers 79 so as to allow the
extending rollers 79 to rotate and extend the food dough 9 at the
time of revolution.
[0048] In the above-described configuration, the flour is sprinkled
from the flouring device 31 in the course of transportation onto
the food dough 9 placed on the inclined transporting unit 7.
Thereafter, when the food dough 9 is transported to the vicinity of
an upper portion of the inclined transporting unit 7, the food
dough 9 is interposed between the inclined transporting unit 7 and
the extending rollers 79, which revolve horizontally by way of the
extending roller unit 13 and which rotates while contacting the
contact bars 107. Hence the food dough 9 is transported to the
horizontal direction transporting unit 11 and is subjected to the
extending operation. In this case, the flour or the like does not
enter the traveling regions of the endless members 75 as dust.
Moreover, the dust or the like generated in the traveling regions
of the endless members 75 does not enter the traveling regions of
the extending rollers 79.
[0049] When performing the extending operation on the food dough 9
as described above, by adjusting a vertical position of the
extending roller unit 13 in accordance with the thickness of the
food dough 9 transported by the inclined transporting unit 7, the
extending roller unit 13 is adjusted in the obliquely vertical
direction along the inclined guide members 35 as described
previously. Specifically, when the food dough 9 is still thick, the
extending roller 13 is lifted obliquely so as to protrude toward
the inclined transporting unit 7 by adjusting the vertical position
of the extending roller unit 13 in the obliquely upward
direction.
[0050] Accordingly, a clearance in the vertical direction between
the inclined transporting unit 7 and the extending roller unit 13
for interposing (holding) the food dough 9 is increased, and a
range of the extending operation while holding the food dough 9 by
use of the inclined transporting unit 7 and the extending roller
unit 13 becomes longer. In other words, the clearance for a
compressing and sending region for compressing the food dough 9
between the extending roller unit 13 and the inclined transporting
unit 7 and for sending the food dough 9 toward the horizontal
direction transporting unit 11 is increased, and the compressing
and sending region becomes longer in the front-rear direction at
the same time.
[0051] Accordingly, it is possible to suppress a tendency that the
thick food dough 9 is lifted up in the vicinity of an entrance
between the extending roller unit 13 and the inclined transporting
unit 7 and to suppress rapid thinning of the thick food dough 9,
i.e., to suppress a change rate of the thickness to a small level.
In this way, it is possible to suppress an increase in an internal
stress of the food dough 9 at the time of the extending
operation.
[0052] Here, the extending operation on the food dough 9 is
achieved by use of a difference in the transporting speed between
the inclined transporting unit 7 and the horizontal direction
transporting unit 11 and by use of a pressurizing operation of the
extending rollers 79 which are rolled on an upper surface of the
food dough 9. Moreover, upon completion of the extending operation
on the food dough 9, it is possible to uncover the vicinity of the
upper end of the inclined transporting unit 7 and the upper side of
the horizontal direction transporting unit 11 by moving the
extending roller unit 13 in the leftward direction in FIG. 1 as
described previously. Hence it is possible to perform maintenance
check, cleaning, and the like easily.
[0053] The horizontal direction transporting unit 11 is formed of a
belt conveyor and is supported by the support plate 33 installed
upright at the base plate 5. To explain further on this horizontal
direction transporting unit 11, left and right support brackets 109
(see FIG. 9) protruding to the downstream side are integrally
provided on the support plate 33, and both left and right ends of a
rotating shaft 113 integrally provided with a roller 111 are
rotatably supported by this support brackets 109. Moreover, one end
of the rotating shaft 113 is interlocked and connected to a motor
115 which is attached to one of the support brackets 109.
Furthermore, a conveyor belt 121 is wound around the roller 111 and
a roller 119 supported by a roller bracket 117 (see FIG. 8)
provided to protrude from the support plate 33 toward an upstream
side.
[0054] Therefore, by driving the motor 115, the conveyor belt 121
in the horizontal direction transporting unit 11 transports the
extended strip-shaped food dough 9 toward the lapping apparatus
17.
[0055] The lapping apparatus 17 for lapping the food dough 9 onto
the transporting unit 15 has a configuration to be described below.
The food dough 9 undergoes the extending operation by the extending
rollers 79 provided on the extending roller unit 13 and thus is
extended into the thin strip shape (the sheet shape).
[0056] Specifically, the lapping apparatus 17 is provided on the
downstream side (on the right side in FIGS. 8 and 9) of the
horizontal direction transporting unit 11. Moreover, the lapping
apparatus 17 for lapping the strip-shaped food dough 9 transported
(conveyed) by the horizontal direction transporting unit 11 onto
the transporting unit 15 includes a roller shaft 123 located in the
vicinity of the roller 111 in the horizontal direction transporting
unit 11. Here, both left and right ends of the roller shaft 123 are
rotatably supported by the left and right support brackets 109.
[0057] A roller 125 is integrally provided on this roller shaft
123. Meanwhile, base portions of left and right swing arms 127
swingable in the vertical direction are swingably supported on both
ends of the roller shaft 123. Moreover, a conveyor belt 131 is
wound around the roller 125 and a driven roller 129 rotatably
supported on tip ends of the left and right swing arms 127. To
rotate the conveyor belt 131, a motor 133 attached to one of the
support brackets 109 is interlocked and connected to the roller
shaft 123 via a belt, a chain, and the like.
[0058] As understood from the above-described configuration, the
swing arms 127 and the conveyor belt 131 constitute a swing
conveyor 135 which is vertically swingable. A swing guide member
137 provided to be swingable in the horizontal direction as well as
in a direction (an orthogonal direction, the front-rear direction)
intersecting the transportation direction of the transporting unit
15 is provided on a tip end of this swing conveyor 135. This swing
guide member 137 is configured to perform an operation to guide the
strip-shaped food dough 9 falling off (flowing down) from the tip
end of the swing conveyor 135 onto the transport surface of the
transporting unit 15.
[0059] To be more precise, the left and right swing arms 127 are
provided with left and right support brackets 139 located outward
of both ends of the driver roller 129, and the left and right
support brackets 139 are respectively provided with left and right
support shafts 141 located coaxially with the driver roller 129.
Moreover, upper ends of left and right swing brackets 143 are
supported by the left and right support shafts 141, whereby the
swing brackets 143 are provided to be swingable around the support
shafts 141 in the Y-axis direction (the front-rear direction).
[0060] Further, both left and right ends of a guide plate 145 large
in size in the vertical and left-right directions are connected
integrally to the left and right swing brackets 143 by bolts and
the like with brackets and the like interposed therebetween.
Meanwhile, a bracket 147 protruding forward is attached to a middle
portion, in the longitudinal direction, of each of the left and
right swing brackets 143. A guide plate 151 is attached to the
bracket 147 to face the guide plate 145. The guide plate 151 forms
a flow-down clearance 149 with the guide plate 145, and is capable
of adjusting the width of the flow-down clearance 149. The
flow-down clearance 149 allows the strip-shaped food dough 9 to
flow down between the guide plate 145 and the guide plate 151.
Guide rollers 145A and 151A which are rotatable in contact with the
strip-shaped (sheet-shaped) food dough 9 that falls through the
flow-down clearance 149 are provided rotatably on lower ends of the
guide plates 145 and 151 facing each other in the front-rear
direction.
[0061] In order to swing the swing guide member 137 horizontally in
the front-rear direction (the Y-axis direction), a protruding frame
153 is provided to significantly protrude forward from the support
plate 33. This protruding frame 153 is provided to intersect a
position above the transporting unit 15 at right angles to the
transportation direction of the transporting unit 15. This
protruding frame 153 includes a vertical wall portion 153V and an
upper horizontal wall portion 153H. Accordingly, a vertical
sectional shape of the protruding frame 153 is an inverted
L-shape.
[0062] Moreover, a guide rail (a guide member) 155 which is long in
the front-rear direction (the Y-axis direction) is horizontally
attached to a lower surface of the horizontal wall portion 153H,
and a slider 157 movably supported by this guide rail 155 is
connected to one of the swing brackets 143 via a connecting member
159. Moreover, a motor 161 is attached to a rear end of the
vertical wall portion 153V of the protruding frame 153, and a drive
pulley 165 is integrally attached to a drive shaft 163 rotated by
this motor 161. Further, an endless member 169 such as a timing
belt is wound around the drive pulley 165 and a driven pulley 167
provided rotatably on a tip end of the vertical wall portion 153V.
This endless member 169 is connected relatively rotatably to the
slider 157 by use of an appropriate connecting member.
[0063] Accordingly, when the motor 161 is rotated back and forth,
the endless member 169 is rotated back and forth and the slider 157
is reciprocated in the front-rear direction along the guide rail
155. Hence, a lower portion of the swing guide member 137 is caused
to swing horizontally in the front-rear direction in conjunction
with reciprocation of the slider 157. That is, the motor 161, the
endless member 169, and the like constitute a tip portion
reciprocating unit for reciprocating the lower end (the tip end) of
the swing guide member 137.
[0064] Here, by controlling forward and backward rotation of the
motor 161 under control of a control device (not shown), it is
possible to control positions of reciprocations of the slider 157
which reciprocates in the front-rear direction and a stroke length
of the reciprocation.
[0065] As understood from the above-described configuration, the
strip-shaped food dough 9 transported to the downstream side by the
horizontal direction transporting unit 11 is conveyed to the swing
conveyor 135 in the lapping apparatus 17. Thereafter, the food
dough 9 falling from the tip end of the swing conveyor 135 flows
down through the flow-down clearance 149 in the swing guide member
137. When the lower part of this swing guide member 137 moves from
a vertical state to the forward direction (the right direction in
FIG. 8), the food dough 9 is guided by the guide plate 145 and the
guide roller 145A and is then lapped onto the transport surface of
the transporting unit 15. Meanwhile, when the lower part of the
swing guide member 137 moves from the vertical state to the
backward direction, the food dough 9 is guided by the guide plate
151 and the guide roller 151A and is then lapped onto the
transporting unit 15.
[0066] That is, by repeatedly swinging the swing guide member 137
in the front-rear direction, it is possible to repeatedly lapped
the strip-shaped food dough 9 continuously conveyed, onto the
transporting unit 15 while being lapped in the front-rear
direction.
[0067] When lapping the food dough 9 on the transporting unit 15 as
described above, the swing conveyor 135 swings vertically but a
dimension of the clearance between the tip end (the lower end of
the swing guide member 137 and the transport surface of the
transporting unit 15 is always maintained at a constant value.
Therefore, a length from the roller 125 at the base end of the
swing conveyor 135 to the transport surface of the transporting
unit 15 for lapping the food dough 9 is always maintained at
substantially a constant value. Accordingly, it is possible to
prevent tension or relaxation to the food dough 9 when lapping the
food dough 9 onto the transporting unit 15 while swinging the swing
guide member 137 in the front-rear direction.
[0068] The entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No.
2009-053106 (filed on Mar. 6, 2009) are incorporated herein by
reference.
[0069] Although the invention has been described above by reference
to certain embodiments of the invention, the invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above. Modifications and
variations of the embodiments described above will occur to those
skilled in the art, in light of the above teachings. The scope of
the invention is defined with reference to the following
claims.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0070] 1 FOOD DOUGH EXTENDING APPARATUS [0071] 5 BASE PLATE [0072]
7 INCLINED TRANSPORTING UNIT [0073] 9 FOOD DOUGH [0074] 11
HORIZONTAL DIRECTION TRANSPORTING UNIT [0075] 13 EXTENDING ROLLER
UNIT [0076] 15 TRANSPORTING UNIT [0077] 17 LAPPING APPARATUS [0078]
19 SLIDE STAND [0079] 21, 155 GUIDE RAILS [0080] 35 GUIDE MEMBER
[0081] 37 ELEVATING PLATE [0082] 39 SLIDE GUIDE [0083] 41 SUPPORT
BRACKET [0084] 43 ROTATING SHAFT [0085] 45 ECCENTRIC DISC [0086] 49
PIN MEMBER [0087] 51 WORM WHEEL [0088] 53 WORM [0089] 59 HANDLE
[0090] 63 DRIVE MOTOR [0091] 65 DRIVE SHAFT [0092] 67 SUPPORT SHAFT
[0093] 69 REINFORCING BAR [0094] 71, 165 DRIVE PULLEYS [0095] 73,
167 DRIVEN PULLEYS [0096] 75, 169 ENDLESS MEMBERS [0097] 79
EXTENDING ROLLER [0098] 83 DUST SEALING MECHANISM [0099] 85 SLEEVE
[0100] 87 LINK PLATE [0101] 87A, 99A OPENINGS [0102] 89 EXTERNAL
GUIDE MEMBER [0103] 91 INTERNAL GUIDE MEMBER [0104] 93 UPPER COVER
[0105] 93A INNER END EDGE [0106] 99 END COVER PLATE [0107] 101 MAIN
BODY COVER [0108] 103 FRONT (REAR) COVER [0109] 105 OPENABLE COVER
[0110] 107 CONTACT BAR [0111] 111, 119, 125 ROLLERS [0112] 113
ROTATING SHAFT [0113] 121, 131 CONVEYOR BELTS [0114] 127 SWING ARM
[0115] 129 DRIVEN ROLLER [0116] 135 SWING CONVEYOR [0117] 137 SWING
GUIDE MEMBER [0118] 143 SWING BRACKET [0119] 145, 151 GUIDE PLATES
[0120] 145A, 151A GUIDE ROLLERS [0121] 149 FLOW-DOWN CLEARANCE
[0122] 153 PROTRUDING FRAME [0123] 153V VERTICAL WALL PORTION
[0124] 153H HORIZONTAL WALL PORTION [0125] 157 SLIDER
* * * * *